How to Propagate Plants: 4 Methods to Master

One of the best ways to keep your gardening costs low is learning the art of plant propagation. With a combination of time and skill, you can clone, graft, divide, and air layer your way to a lush garden without breaking the bank. Join Chris as she shares exactly how to propagate using the four most popular methods.

IN THIS VIDEO

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TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro
01:10 - Division - Methods & Tools
01:45 - Division - Timing Fresh Growth
02:07 - Division - Tear Apart
02:35 - Division - Benefits
02:53 - Cuttings
03:23 - Cuttings - Timing Soft Hard Wood
03:53 - Cuttings - Sage & Keep Cuttings Moist
04:28 - Cuttings - Before Cutting & Length
05:34 - Cuttings - Setup Station
06:13 - Cuttings - Setup Rooting Hormone
06:44 - Cuttings - Sharp Tool & 4 Nodes
08:00 - Cuttings - Trim Foliage
08:49 - Cuttings - Dip & Stick
09:15 - Cuttings - Prop Station
09:42 - Cuttings - Why Not Water?
10:12 - Graft
10:39 - Graft - Why Graft?
11:31 - Graft - Whip & Tongue
11:56 - Graft - Chip Budding
12:39 - Layering
13:20 - Layering - Identify Stems On Catmint
13:46 - Layering - Severing Layered Oregano
14:14 - Layering - Woodier Stems Gooseberry
14:54 - Layering - Wounding Woody Material
15:10 - Layering - Easy Method
15:37 - Outro

DISCLAIMER

[munderscoreo]

Love Chris’ teaching style. She makes it very easy for me to understand how and more importantly why. Less is more. She is the ideal teacher!

[ellenkuang]

Ugh grafting is my dream gardening skill to learn. My great uncle is a grafting master. He grafted his own 6-in-1 mixed citrus tree, a 4-in-1 grapefruit tree and multiple 4-in-1 stone fruit trees.

[karinjohnston]

Very well explained. My Dad propagated fruit trees by grafting, similar to the chip method you discussed; however he made a cut at the base of the root stock and then slipped the bud into the slot created by the cut. He would then use a rubber strip around the base to hold it in place. He usually began grafting in July and spent weeks grafting hundreds of trees. One of my jobs was to go down the rows the following spring and cut off the root stock above the graft. By the end of that growing season we would have a good sized tree (1 meter high or more). Because the bud grew so quickly, they were vulnerable to cracking off in windy weather, so we staked the growing buds early to stabilize the bud.

[CNPapadopoulos]

I’m loving the rate that videos have been dropping of late, Kevin. The team has clearly worked hard to get to a point where this kind of output is possible. Congratulations.

[donttrustjxlzz]

Thank you we are thinking of doing this so my daughter can take our plants with her. A little piece of home

[jb-szkw]

Brilliant teacher. Really clear instructions and easy to follow. More Chris 🙂

[pandorasgarden]

Just divided my lemongrass my mom brought me from Oceanside CA. I turned one into six and I’m super thrilled:)

[Flumphinator]

So there’s a massive Wisteria at a coffee shop where I went on one of my first dates with the woman to whom I’m now married. The thing is beautiful. I’ve never done it before, and I’ve always wondered if I could clone it. Such a thing would mean a lot to both of us.

This is such a great resource. I’ve got the courage to give it a shot now. Thank you so much.

[bigsidable]

I been cloning my tomatoes and Coleus plant. I give them as gift once they grow. Lots of fun. Makes great 2nd planting.

[MegaTeeruk]

She is a really great teacher. I enjoy watching her.

[orangeduc]

The tone, the video, the Environment, everything on point. Please thanks for your kindness. Education the key. It was what I needed.

[Noellexafael]

Im new to gardening and like chris just makes me fall in love with it by the way she teaches, its really didactic and easy to understand.
thanks for the awesome material

[petekooshian]

Really loving Chris and her wisdom on colder climate growing!

[azokalum]

Perfect timing, especially as it's getting harder to find plants in my area. Thanks everyone!

[juneuprising]

Another great video—every time I watch this channel, I feel like even I could do some gardening!

[batuyahatchimeg]

Grafting, I have had great success using cheap black electrical tape. It is strong, it stretches, it will naturally fall off if you forget about it, and being black it warms up the graft area sooner and faster allowing the sap to flow more readily increasing the chances of success.

[rob]

I have a blackberry plant that I (luckily, because I didn't know what I was doing) grew from a "cutting" I took when rabbits wrecked my main blackberry plant. I've kept this second plant alive in a pot for two years by taking it to my basement during the winter. Planning to propagate by taking a few cuttings from both plants this year. Thanks for the tips in this video!

[rebeccadart]

I love Chis's videos and instagram. Her advice is so pratical and informative. Giving cuttings a gentle tug test and having them stay firm in the soil is one of the greatest thrills in life. One down side of vegetative propagation I wish was mentioned here is the lack of genetic diversity when growing from cuttings. The cutting will have the same genetics as the mother plant and if you just so happen to have a plant that is susceptible to a disease all the clones will too (Cavendish bananas anyone). I think rooting cuttings along side growing from seed if you can is a good way to hedge your bets.

[alexiusjones]

I’m finding I have much better luck with water propagation. I can see root growth, it’s less maintenance than keeping soil moist, and it’s just fun to watch. So far I’ve propagated pothos, monstera deliciosa, mint, and lemon balm. I’m excited to try more plants.

[jko]

I've been watching propagation videos on and off for the last few years, and this is by far the best one!